HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Posted on by

 

Happy  Thanksgiving!

This morning the turkeys are in the oven, pies cooling, the children watching the Macy Thanksgiving Parade, families getting together. A good day! A thank you God day.

A quick  history of Thanksgiving.

The gathering of Pilgrims and Indians in 1621 is considered the first Thanksgiving. It was not. It was called a “gathering.”

There were no more thanksgivings/gatherings till 1776. George Washington called for a day of thanksgiving. The first time the word was actually used. The Revolution was in full swing. The colonies had separated from Great Britain.

The day was enjoyed. Washington wanted to continue it every year. The politicians of the day said no. Even Thomas Jefferson. It had to do with Pilgrims, Puritans, and satanic beliefs. A hot potato.

There was not another thanksgiving till 1864. Abraham Lincoln was happy with the way the Civil war was going. He had a new general by the name of Ulysses Grant who had won several battles, The Emancipation Proclamation was law. Lincoln decreed the fourth thursday of November was hence forth to be celebrated as a day of thanksgiving.

It so continued till 1941. It became a legal holiday at that time. Thanks to Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

That’s the story.

Lunch yesterday was at Goldman’s Deli with Robert and Ally. Business appeared to be half of what it normally was. I attribute it to the competition of the nearby new Five Guys and the boulevard construction.

The grandkids and I talked about Thanksgiving and Christmas. Had Santa Claus telephoned me yet this year? No, not yet. He’s busy. Soon, however.

Oh, how they believe!

Before going out last night, I had to deliver the turkey from my refrigerator to Lisa. It was heavy! Robert and Ally were excitedly waiting for me. They took the turkey from me to carry inside.

My evening out was Don’s Place. A good  crowd. Including Don, David, Herschel, Stan, Erika, Toni, Bebe, Rob, and others. The holiday spirit was in the air.

I read an article this morning that the second biggest drinking night in the U.S. is Thanksgiving Eve. The first of course is New Year’s Eve.

I stopped at Publix for a few things on the way home. The new one. The place was crowded. I was surprised. Apparently most people had waited till the last minute to shop.

Two Thanksgiving dinners for me today! With Lisa and family at 1. With friends at 6. A heavy day!

Donna emailed me yesterday. She forwarded a You Tube video of Terri made in Dusseldorf,  Germany. Terri recently appeared with the Symphony there.

The video is less than six minutes. Well done. I recommend you take a look at it.

www.youtube.com/watch?=BJsTyKKxu8o&sns=em.

Tomorrow is friday. Friday is The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Please watch. Ten o’clock in the morning my time. Available on TV throughout the Keys and Miami-Dade County. Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Available world wide via internet. www.tvchannel19.com.

You will enjoy!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday, also!

 

CRANBERRY NUT BREAD AND SHEILA

Posted on by

 

The Chart Room again last night. Peter and Che at the bar. A good crowd otherwise.

Sheila came in after a while. Lovely Sheila. The trolley train lady. A friend to all. Loved by every one.

Sheila had a bag full of small cranberry nut bread loafs. In aluminum pans. Still warm.

This is for you, Louis. Happy Thanksgiving! She handed me one of the loaves.

How nice! How thoughtful!

When I left the Chart Room, I was headed out to dinner. Not sure where. As I got in the car, I said to myself…..go home…..eat the warm cranberry nut bread. That is what I did. Made some tea and covered the still warm bread with butter. My dinner! The best!

Thank you, Sheila.

While I was at the Chart Room, Sheila introduced me to Cori. Same pronunciation as son in law Corey’s name, except spelled differently.

Cori just received her doctorate from Exeter in England. Her PhD is in Maritime History.

She works at the Custom House as Curator of History. Knows my Corey well. Knows Lisa, also.

Yesterday morning after finishing the day’s blog, I received a telephone call from Jenna. Could we do my TV/Internet show at 4 today instead of friday? Krystal wanted to take a long weekend to spend the holiday with her folks. Ok, I said.

Only one problem. I prepare the show during the week a bit at a time each day. Ergo, I was not ready to do the show at 4. I could get ready, but would have to work diligently till 4. I did.

The show was recorded and will be shown at 10 friday morning as usual.

The topics are interesting. Let me share a few with you.

Thanksgiving. I did a history of the holiday. The pilgrims and Indians did not give us Thanksgiving. Abraham Lincoln did.

Since the show has many viewers from foreign lands who are unaware of Thanksgiving, I explained from a practical perspective what happens on Thanksgiving Day. The Macey parade, a glutonous meal, and falling asleep in front of the TV while watching college football after dinner.

The Hostess failure bothers me. A particular union is one of the problems. Another and greater problem however is the sugar industry. By virtue of a 1934 law, heavy tariffs are placed on sugar imported. As a result, no one ships sugar into the U.S. The U.S. sugar industry has a monopoly. So…..sugar costs twice as much in the U.S. as elsewhere in the world. Hostess obviously used sugar big time.

The sugar law is a form of corporate welfare. Similar to the subsidy paid oil companies. The sugar lobby in Washington is strong. They make sure the tariff program continues. There is more to this story.

A secession follow up. This whole thing is a joke. For real. Not real.

Took a walk back in history with Enrico Caruso, Casablanca, war time rationing, and Doug Flutie’s Hail Mary pass.

Three interesting stories where today’s cell phone was instrumental in catching wrongdoers.

The aforementioned are some of the topics discussed. I will share more with you tomorrow.

Needed a gas fill up yesterday. Stopped at the Citgo station on the boulevard. The boulevard of construction. I chatted with the woman running the place. I noticed there was a sign saying free coffee. I asked why. She told me business was down 60 per cent and they were trying to induce business. She further told me that the nearby MacDonald’s was down 61 per cent and was considering closing.

I find the MacDonald thing hard to believe. The Key West MacDonald’s is one the highest volume MacDonald’s in Florida. I hope the lady was wrong.

The boulevard construction is a rip off. Two years to complete. I can understand why. Very few people working the job. Some days no one. The highest number I have counted for one day is 7. I drive past the site at least two times a day.

Tomorrow the bird! I am excited. I was excited as a kid and continue to be excited as an adult. I love holidays!

I suspect the reason holidays excited me back when was because my family was of modest means. Not on holidays, however. The table was full of goodies!

Enjoy your day!

 

PREPARING FOR THANKSGIVING

Posted on by

 

It’s like waiting for Santa Claus! Thanksgiving is coming! Only two days away!

Lots to do to get ready for the holiday.

Lisa bought the turkey Sunday. Brought it to my house. I who live alone have two refrigerators. The turkey is sitting in the fridge in the garage. Lisa’s refrigerator is too full to handle a frozen turkey.

Robert and Ally were all excited. They had gone to Publix with Lisa to buy the turkey. They are ready. Told me they were going to watch the Macy parade and then eat turkey, stuffings, gravy, potatoes, pumpkin pie, and apple pie. The litany flowed.

Robert and Ally will help Lisa prepare the meal. They do every year. They stand on chairs at the cupboard and cut things up, mix, etc.

Lunch yesterday was me alone at the counter at Harpoon Harry’s. Eggs benedict. I had a craving.

Walked the waterfront afterwards. Had to work some of the breakfast off. Walked by Schooner Wharf. I was surprised. Construction going on. It appears Schooner Wharf is doing a two floor addition. It will enlarge the place by at least one third.

Then it was home. Did work for friday’s TV show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Insanity does not take a break. Interesting topics already developed for the show.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour is available via television from two sources. Comcast Channel 87 and U- Verse Channel 19. The U-Verse connection runs through the Keys and Miami-Dade County.

The television show reaches 250,000 homes. I am impressed!

The show is available world wide via the internet. www.tvchannel19.com. People tune in in from 30-40 different countries.

The show is 10 am my time. I spell out the 10 am each week. We live in different time zones. People have to figure out the time I am airing in their country.

I started at the Chart Room last night. Glad I stopped in. Dave, Captain Peter and Che at the bar. I spent two stimulating hours. We solved the problems of the world and problems the world is not yet aware it is going to have. Prospective thinking.

It was a quiet dinner at Outback. A prime rib. Read the newspapers.

Stephanie came over to say hello. No Don. She was there with the grandkids.

Enjoy your day!

LOCAL FOLK SUNDAY

Posted on by

 

Key West Sundays are relatively quiet for the local folk. Each the same. Laid back.

I watched the Sunday morning talk shows on TV. The furor over Benghazi is too much. They are at the stage of splitting hairs. Our nation’s leaders have more important things to talk about. The debt crisis is looming.

Syracuse beat Wagner in basketball as expected. A little guy playing a giant. Compliments to Wagner for traveling to the Dome knowing that there was little chance of winning.

At one point early on, Wagner was leading. I could read the players’ minds. Just maybe…..

The basketball game was early afternoon. When over, I went to Don’s Place to watch pro football. Don has the pro football package. There are TV sets all over the place, inside and out, showing the games. I sat in back outside with Don and friends and watched five different games at one time. The TV sets were placed  next to each other in a row.

Good company! Besides Don,  there were Stephanie, David, Keith, Larry, Toni, Frankie, Sandy, Boomer and Angus. Always a good time.

I returned home for a while. Read. I have started a new book. A biography of Ulysses Grant. Recently published, the book is entitled The Man Who Saved The Union. Written by H. W. Brands.

From love and BD/SM sex to a presidential history. A jump!

It was Sunday dinner with Lisa and the family.

Christmas  already in the air. Robert and Ally showed me the letters they had written to Santa Claus listing the 10,000 gifts each wanted. I am surprised they still believe. Robert is 8 and Ally 7. Last year some of Robert’s class mates told him what they perceived to be the true story. There ain’t no Santa Claus! Robert did not buy it. I hope he does not buy it this year either. Nor Ally. Santa Claus is good for them.

I was home to an early bed.

I am into the HBO Boardwalk series. Only two more shows before the series concludes. Everyone is getting killed. Worse than the  Godfather trilogy. I hope the “hero” survives.

This Hostess/Twinkie situation is interesting and sad. An example of a little guy taking down the big guy. In this instance, every one loses however. A hollow victory.

Enjoy your day!

 

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

Posted on by

 

Book review time! I finished reading Fifty Shades of Grey yesterday morning.

The book is a trilogy. The three volumes fast moving. The author is a woman. E. L. James. I specify her sex since from my perspective it is a woman’s book written by a woman.

Fifty Shades is #1 on the New York Times best seller list. It is being read world wide. Book stores keep running out.

Fifty Shades is a love novel. Again, written by a woman for women. Not generally the type of book men read. Too lovey dovey.

My sense is the book is going to raise sex to another level.

Sex and love are big time in the novel. They are integrated. One.

I am 77. This is the fourth time in my life that I have seen something occur which affected societal mores.

The birth control pill became popular in the 1960s. It freed women from the fear of unwanted pregnancy. Pre-marital sex and promiscuity were rampant. The female was liberated.  Women were able to have sex like men without the fear of consequence.

The pill elevated sex to a new level.

Then came the Joy of Sex. A 1972 novel. Explained the mechanics of sex. Advised men and women how to better enjoy sex.

The major piece of information in the book was the clitoris. Not known as well then as it is today. Hard to believe, but that is how it was.  Women were generally only enjoying vaginal orgasms. The clitoral revelation made it possible for them to enjoy clitoral orgasms. And for some, orgasms for the first time.

Joy of Sex was an international best seller, #1 on the New York Times best seller list.

Once more sex was elevated to a new level.

In 1981 and 1982, two relatively small studies were done regarding the g-spot. Medical science had been aware of the g-spot since the 1940s. A Dr. Grafenberg identified it by name in the 1950s. The g was taken from the first letter of his last name.

Some men’s sex magazine became aware of the studies. Playboy or Penthouse, perhaps. A major article was written. The thrust was that a man’s knowledge and use of the g-spot would place him in a position to better satisfy his woman.

The g-spot raised sex to even a further level.

Now comes Fifty Shades. No question a love novel. Different, however. BD/SM is the primary method of sexual play and expression.

More women than men are reading Fifty Shades. Most will want sex to provide the pleasures reflected in the book. The belief being that  BD/SM will provide increased sexual satisfaction.

Fifty Shades elevates sex to another level. Just as the pill, Joy of Sex, and the g-spot did.

Exploration time in the bedroom again!

Lets move to the more mundane.

Last night was fun! Jenna and Krystal were my guests for drinks and dinner. It was the Chart Room and Hot Tin Roof.

After the ladies left,  I stopped into the Chart Room again. Che was at the bar. I said hello. Did not have a drink. Told Che I was heading over to Don’s Place. He opted to follow me in his car.

Don was at the bar talking with Stan. I joined them. Bocce the conversation. We are team mates.

I missed Thursday night bocce this week. I was behind with the material for my Friday show. Every time I do not play, my team wins!
There has to be a message in that. The team beat Larry’s team 2-1.

Che arrived. The conversation changed. All sort of problems were discussed. The conversation got cerebral. I left. My head could take no more.

Syracuse beat Missouri in football yesterday 31-27. Good for Syracuse! A struggling team this year. They are now 6-5.

Today Syracuse basketball! One pm. I will be watching the game at John Lukas’ Big Ten Pub.

Syracuse is playing Wagner. A warm up game for Syracuse. Syracuse should win easily.

My Utica good friend Gus graduated from Wagner. It would have been nice if we could have watched the game together.

The college football picture was screwed up big time yesterday. Both Kansas State and Oregon lost. Notre Dame is the only undefeated major college team. Notre Dame has to get by USC next week to stay numero uno.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

GREAT FIRST TV SHOW

Posted on by

 

Yesterday was my first TV show. The show previously was only broadcast via the internet. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. I was a bit nervous. The show was done live. But then also  was the KONK internet show I had been doing for three years.

A major difference is I have staff with the TV show. Three persons. Just like in the movies. Finger signals, rearranging my shirt on breaks, getting me water, comments being made, etc. I felt at times I was the product of their work! I was.

Jenna is sort of my producer. Crystal the engineer. Crystal is very important to everything. Rick the owner was in and out.

This is the first live show that Comcast Channel 87 has done. Their other shows are pre-recorded. Ergo, there was concern on the part of all involved.

Overall, the show went well. There were minor glitches. They will be worked out.

The post show comment surprised me. There were congratulatory messages. There were also the usual comments regarding certain topics. It was the topic comment that surprised me.

There were three topics receiving the most comment. More than normal.

Brain dead no longer being brain dead was one. Some people concerned they had pulled the plug too soon.

Secession was big. Some had already heard. Others, not. All interested. Especially in my opinion that it was all a crock of nothing. Whereas the effort sounded legal, in reality no legal basis exists for it.

I spoke of the European demonstrations last wednesday. I explained austerity and the practical aspects of what was occurring. My European followers were watching and listening. Emails on the issue were received from persons in Rome, Santorini and Seville.

I went straight to Lisa’s after the show. She had to change my bandages and clean the wounds again. I wondered if not Lisa, who would be doing it for me.

Sought quiet for lunch. Went to the Pier House Beach Bar. It was cold! A bad wind coming in off the ocean. The bar had plastic shades drawn to deflect the cold. It only helped some what.

Nevertheless, I stayed. The coolness determined my choice for lunch. French onion soup. Hot! I read the newspapers and enjoyed a leisurely lunch hour.

Read a bit when I got home mid afternoon. I had intended to go out last night. Never made it. Fell asleep around 4 and did not wake till after 8.

Saturday. No plans. Tonight I am out, however. Dinner with Jenna and perhaps Crystal.

I finished reading Fifty Shades of Grey this morning. All three volumes. My book report tomorrow. I cannot wait to share my thoughts with you.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

MALCOM FAMILY DAY

Posted on by

 

Big day yesterday for the Malcom family!

Son in law Corey made the newspaper big time. The Key West Citizen ran a major story on Corey . Front page and all of the back page. Two pictures of Corey. One on each page. Both of him under the water doing what he does. Searching for slave ships.

Corey and  a Mel Fisher team were sent to the Bahamas to search for a specific sunken slave ship. They found it!

Corey knows his business. One does not just go out and say lets dive here. There are months of research involved. Studying old maps and reading anything in writing that speaks of the ship sought. Corey did it all. The work proved fruitful. He and the team discovered the sunken vessel.

The grandkids had a big day yesterday, also. Robert and Ally went to the Symphony. All Key West school kids probably went.

Montessori spent time the past couple of weeks explaining to the students what a symphony was, what would be heard, etc. Robert and Ally were advised that the Symphony was a dress up event. Both insisted on wearing  their best.

Ally was beautiful in a new dress and long stockings.

Robert wore a tie, long pants, and real shoes. He insisted on the tie, long pants, and real shoes. The pants he had. Lisa and Corey had to buy him for real shoes. Brother Cameron provided an old snap on tie.

Lisa posted a picture of them on Facebook yesterday. They looked terrific!

Lisa said when they returned home, they were all excited. Especially because the Star Wars theme was played.

I spent some time at the TV studio getting ready for today’s show. Jenna and Crystal a big help. Crystal is the engineer.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour is on air this morning. Live on TV and the internet. Comcast Channel 87 throughout the Florida Keys. Via the internet world wide. www.tvchannel19.com. Ten my time.

Watch and enjoy! Interesting topics!

After the TV studio visit, I headed over to Lisa’s. A couple of the biopsy wounds are on my back. They had to be cleaned and covered with some kind of anti-bacterial stuff. I could not reach them. Lisa had to do it for me.

I took care of Lisa once. Now she takes care of me.

I was a bit lazy this week. Did not have all my show material put together. I did it yesterday afternoon and last night. Meant I could not make bocce. No time. I was sorry to miss. We were playing Larry’s team. We are all friends. It would have been ball busting fun!

That is it for this morning. Again, please join me for the show at 10. The first topic alone will cause a reaction in you. Either tears or shocking disbelief or both.

Enjoy your day!

 

KEY WEST LOU LEGAL HOUR TOMORROW

Posted on by

 

The weather is spectacular! 87 degrees yesterday. Not a cloud in the sky yesterday or this morning. No humidity.

The north is suffering. It is cold! Below freezing. I remember those days well.

Tomorrow morning my TV debut. Last week does not count. I was only on for 4 minutes. The audio went dead. I start anew tomorrow.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour will be both televised and available via internet. Scheduled time first. Ten in the morning my time. Comcast Channel 87 for TV viewing throughout the Florida Keys. The internet showing is available world wide. www.tvchannel19.com.

There will be many United States’ viewers. In addition, people will be watching from 35-40 different countries on the internet.

Interesting topics. It has been a crazy week world wide. Topics will include the fiscal cliff, Los Angeles voting to require porn movie makers with in the City to wear condoms, Bernie Fine avoiding the bullet, an abuse of power story involving a 3 year old, a woman masturbating in a Florida Starbucks, Romney’s claim that Obama bought the election, secession, European demonstrations which have gone unreported, the Battle of Guadalcanal, Birds Eye Peas, Wendy’s, a bad Irish pregnancy/hospital situation, and more.

Join me! I guarantee you will enjoy!

I had a dermatologist visit yesterday. There was a small growth on my back. I wanted it removed. The doctor found 3 other bad things to deal with. All four were cut out. No big deal. A shot of pain killer. A slice. A band aid.

I do not know what it is. In recent years, every time I have a medical procedure, no matter how small, I get tired afterwards. Yesterday was no different. I crashed on the bed for a few hours.

Before getting tired tired, I headed over to Blossoms for lunch. Blossoms first line of business is not sandwiches. It is feed for animals. You sit with large bags of various feeds nearby. Only in Key West!

I had an interesting experience driving home.

When I purchased my Key West home 14 years ago, my island (Key Haven) was loaded with raccoons. Not rabid ones, fortunately. On the maps, my island of Key Haven was and still is listed as Racoon Key. That in and of itself tells you how many raccoons were here.

I have not seen a racoon in several years. Not even one. In their place, I have seen many iguanas. Did the iguanas chase out the raccoons? I do not know. What I do know is that iguanas are a pain in the ass! They are all over, eat your planted flowers and shrubbery, and shit all over the place. If in the pool, the pool has to be drained and cleaned before refilling.

Because of construction, I take side streets to avoid the traffic jams. I was on one of those Key West side streets yesterday. All of a sudden, there was an iguana in the road in front of me. Right in the middle. A big one. About three feet.

I slowed and beeped my horn. I stopped and beeped my horn. The iguana was completely oblivious to me. I finally got out of the car and walked in front of the iguana. About 5 feet away.

The iguana still did not move. I clapped my hands hard. No movement. I moved towards the iguana. Nothing.

I stood there looking at him. The iguana finally looked up at me. Our eyes met. He proceeded forward and walked around me.

I wonder how it will be when the pythons are here in large numbers. One thing is sure,  I will not get out of my car!

Before collapsing into bed, I published an article on Amazon Kindle: Is A Fertilized Egg A Person????? Another way of asking whether life begins at conception. A today political issue dealing with birth control, contraception, and abortion.

There were major demonstrations in Greece, Italy and Portugal yesterday. All about the euro, austerity and Germany. 70,000 persons in Rome alone. Damage and injury.

There has been little reported by our media concerning these demonstrations. Why?

Interestingly, youth make up the majority of protestors. Recent college graduates and persons in the 20-30 age bracket. The group that cannot get jobs. To place the situation in perspective, unemployment in Italy is pushing 35 per cent. Look how hard it is in the Unite States with unemployment hovering around 8 per cent. Keep in mind also that the Egyptian revolution of two years ago was driven by recent college grads who could not find employment.

What am I saying? Trying to say? I am not sure. However, it bothers me that there appears to be a concerted effort to keep the American public unaware of the demonstrations.

Romney’s comments yesterday to the effect that Obama bought the election drives home a point that I understood while the campaigning was going on. Romney just does not get it!

Enjoy your day!

 

SYRACUSE BASKETBALL AT LUKAS’ BIG TEN PUB

Posted on by

 

Syracuse fans who visit Key West! There is a new place for watching Syracuse basketball. John Lukas’ Big Ten Pub. Located on lower Caroline Street.

You have previously joined me at the Sports Bar on Green street. It is no more. Closed. In the meantime, John Lukas opened a new  sports bar. Fortune shined on us. The place is terrific!

The season has started. San Diego State is behind us. I stopped in to see John last night at his sports bar. I made the deal for the season. There will always be at least one TV set aside for Syracuse viewing. The same one. We have our own corner, tables and chairs. It matters not whether pro foot ball or other sports are playing. Syracuse basketball will be available! Guaranteed!

The food is good, also. Extra good.

We need a Syracuse flag. I told John  I would get one. The flag we had at the other bar was supposed to be returned to me. Never got it.

You will like John. He is a gracious host.

My yesterday started with a hair cut at Lori’s Blown Away. I was surprised when I walked in. Lori was finishing up Lisa. A pleasure to run into my daughter. I asked how Ally did after I left the day before. Lisa said she redid everything per my instructions. Ally was thrilled with the result. A good grandfather am I!

I had Lori trim my beard a bit. Not much. Under the chin and neck. I had more hair on my neck than on my chin.

I researched and read till late afternoon. I had a 4 o’clock appointment at the Comcast TV studio. Jenna and I fine tuned the physical portion of the show. The dark/night background is gone. A light orange replaces it. Chairs were changed, etc. Crystal the engineer and owner Rick helped.

Everything should work properly this friday. I consider  friday my first show. Four minutes last week was not enough to qualify. We are doing a run through this afternoon to make sure everything is A-OK.

The show….. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten in the morning my time friday. Available on television in the Keys on Comcast Channel 87. Available world wide via the internet. www.tvchannel19.com.

I stopped at the gas station on US 1 and Key Haven. A Sheriff’s car sitting there. Out jumped Matt Dowling. Matt is an old friend I see not enough. He is obviously a deputy. We were both glad to have run into each other.

The Chart Room was interesting. JJ bartending. The only other customer besides me for a while was Dan. I met Dan last night for the first time.

Dan is manager at the Sunset Pier Bar.

The three of us chatted. Dan’s wife is Sheila. Sheila is the bartender at the Hot Tin Roof. I told Dan how I once judged a high heels contest at Vino’s. Sheila was in it. Very high heeled red shoes. He recalled. Says she has never worn them since. We decided women buy a lot of clothes they rarely use.

Some how the conversation got around to Cape Cod. JJ spent his wedding night at the Chatham Bar Inn. I stayed at the Inn once or twice a summer for several years. A great place.

We chatted about another Dan. The Dan presently the manager of Hogsbreath. Formerly manager of the Yacht Club. I shared that Dan was once the manager of the Impudent Oyster in Chatham.

A small world.

Then it was to John Lukas’ sports bar. While there, I watched the first half of the Michigan State/Kansas basketball game.

I finished watching the game at Don’s Place. A close game. Michigan State won. Terrific basketball! Unusual this early in the season.

An Italian friend emailed  and told me that Italy would have a demonstration today. I was told the papers were not even reporting it for fear the demonstration would get out of hand.

Italy is six hours ahead of us time wise. The demonstration has already occurred as I write this blog. Thousands of people. No reported injuries or damage.

Turns out several countries demonstrated yesterday. Greece, Spain and Portugal included. The people of each country are sick of the austerity programs being imposed on them. They have had two years of austerity already.

Germany’s Chancellor Merkel visited Italy monday. She was not welcome. The Italians are beginning to dislike Germany as the Greeks do. Germany is the banker.

If it were not so serious, it would be a joke. Germany is never going to collect all the dollars it loaned. Did Germany pay back the heavy reparations following World War I? Of course not. There is only so much that can be done in spite of promises made.

I have an appointment to see a dermatologist later this morning. I  developed a growth on my back. It is going to be cut out. Ouch!

Enjoy your day!

 

JOY IN MUDVILLLE?…..YES AND NO

Posted on by

There is no joy in Mudville. Mighty Casey has struck out!

Famous words now applied by me to football.

There was joy in Mudville yesterday for Syracuse. A poor football team this year. Yet yesterday, Syracuse out did itself! Syracuse beat previously undefeated Louisville 45-26. Fraternity row was jumping last night in celebration.

There was no joy in Mudville for Alabama. #1 in the country! Previously unbeaten! Got their asses whipped by #11 Texas A & M. Jean Thornton threatened suicide. David has not been seen since the game ended.

Today is the start of the Syracuse basketball season. It will be another good year! I am excited. Syracuse plays San Diego State at San Diego. The game will be played on the deck of the USS Midway. San Diego is no soft touch. They won 26 games last year. A West Virginia star transferred and will be starting for San Diego.

Syracuse rarely begins its season against a ranking team. Today’s game should be good.

I spent a significant portion of yesterday reading. Fifty Shades of Grey. Really three volumes. I am into the third volume. The book is a best seller. Receiving much comment, especially from women. I am with holding my thoughts regarding the book till I finish it.

My first stop last night was the Chart Room. Captain Peter at the bar. Always good to be with Peter. A finer person does not exist.

Soon we were joined by Andrea. First time I met her. Peter knew her. She does double duty. Rents scooters and is a concierge.

Andrea was very good company. Intelligent. Piercing. The three of us had an interesting couple of hours.

I then walked over to the Wine Galkley. Figured I would grab a bite to eat and listen to Larry Smith play. While at the bar, I met another interesting lady. Judy. We chatted a bit at the bar. I invited her to join me for dinner. She declined. Already had eaten. Did join me at the table, however.

Judy is from Solon, Ohio. She is a nurse anesthetist. She was in Key West for a medical conference at the Weston and stayed a few extra days. She is the mother of two and grandmother of one

Judy has been visiting Key West at least three times a year since 1993. Loves Larry Smith!

I enjoyed Judy’s company. We had a good time at the Wine Galley.

The author Michael Dennis came in. Judy said that he looked familiar. She remembered him from when he owned a bar on Duval and used to play the piano and sing. A number of years back. She picked up on the familiarity when Larry turned the piano over to Michael. Michael has a unique singing style.

I received a communication from a friend in Paris. He said Paris has not been the same since Stephanie Kaple arrived. She made an impact! Stephanie apparently will be remembered even after she returns to Key West.

Enjoy your Sunday!